Safety-guarded pegboard display hanger



March 26, 1968 D. KARMIN 3,374,898

SAFETY-GUARDED PEGBOARD DISPLAY HANGER Filed June 28. 1966' INVENTOR. DONAL D KA RM/N ,pc n

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,374,898 SAFETY-GUARDED PEGBOARD DISPLAY HANGER Donald Karmin, Hillcrest Drive, Glen Head, NY. 11545 Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,174 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-59) The present invention relates to a safety-guarded pegboard display hanger, the hanger being of the elongated shaft type on which articles of merchandise are hung.

It has been long known to provide display hangers which are adapted to be mounted upon pegboards, the hangers being suited to hold numerous packaged or unpackaged articles of merchandise for display purposes and to attract the attention of consumers in retail outlets. Such display hangers conventionally include means for quickly and easily and detachably mounting the hanger onto a pegboard, said means including two hooks which pass through a horizontally aligned pair of the many apertures in the pegboard. Such conventional display hangers further include an elongated shaft of relatively small diameter which terminates at its forward end in an upwardly inclined tip.

Numerous types of articles of merchandise are marketed in containers which include a small hole in the upper portion thereof. This hole is of a diameter sufficient to permit it to be slipped over the tip and onto the elongated shaft of the display hanger. A single display hanger may hold numerous articles in a file, the foremost article being fully displayed to the buying public. Other merchandise is hung unpackaged from such display hangers.

These hangers are potential hazards since persons accidentally falling against them may have their skin cut, scraped or bruised by the tips of the hangers; they may even impair or destroy the sight of an eye. Such accidents are, of course, to the detriment of the safety of the buying public, cause loss of good will at the retail locations and raise insurance rates.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a new and improved safety guard for use with and in combination with a pegboard display hanger of the character described, thereby to prevent customers from hurting themselves should they accidentally fall against the display hanger.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a pegboard display hanger with a safety guard, of the character described, which is extremely simple in structure, which does not include any moving parts, and whose manu facture only nominally increases the cost of conventional display hangers.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a pegboard display hanger with a safety guard, of the character described, which while carrying out its safety role does not interfere with the placement of articles of merchandise on the display hanger and does not interfere with the removal of articles of merchandise from the hanger by customers.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a display hanger with a safety guard, of the character described, which can be easily adapted for use with either a single display hanger or with multiple display hangers.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a pegboard display hanger with a safety guard, of the character described, which in one embodiment is unitary with the display hanger and which in another embodiment is.a separate unit, and is intended for use with preexisting display hangers, both embodiments when located on a pegboard serving the identical safety function.

Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of the construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the guarded pegboard display hangers hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my guarded display hanger mounted on a pegboard;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view thereof;

' FIG. 3 is a partially broken away top plan view thereof, the same being taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substan -tially along the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a second em bodiment of a combination display hanger and safety guard. I 7

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a pegboard which is conventional and which is the type utilized in many retail outlets. Such peg boards are pressed hardboards with standardly spaced horizontal ranks and vertical files of apertures 12 of circular configuration.

The reference numeral 14 in FIGS. 1 through 4 denotes my safety-guarded display hanger which can be easily and quickly, detachably, mounted on the pegboard 10. The safety-guarded display hanger 14 includes a display hanger 16 which of itself and other than in combination with the safety guard soon to be described, is conventional.

In FIGS. 1 through 4, I have shown a unit which includes two display hanger shafts and two safety guards, each of the safety guards being associated with a different one of the display hanger shafts. Of course, it will be appreciated that it is within the scope of my invention to provide a unit comprising a single display hanger shaft and a single safety guard. Since in the unit 14 both display hangers and both safety guards are identical, only one set consisting of a safety guard and a hanger shaft will be described in detail, like reference numerals being used on similar elements of both hangers 16, 18.

As has been mentioned, the illustrated safety-guarded display hanger 14 includes two display hangers, one bearing the reference numeral 16 and the other bearing the reference numeral 18. The display hanger 18 includes an elongated straight shaft 20 which is usually of constant circular cross-section. The major portion of the shaft 20 projects substantially perpendicularly and horizontally away from the pegboard 10 and slopes slightly upwardly toward its foremost portion.

The hanger at its forward portion includes an obliquely upwardly inclined tip 22. Articles of merchandise with apertures in their packages may be threaded over the shaft (see FIG. 4), the shaft holding several articles in file orientation. The upwardly inclined tip will insure that such articles of mechandise will not accidentally fall off the hanger.

The tip 22, as is usual, has a blunt end 25 which may cut, scrape or bruise the skin of a person falling against the hanger or seriously injure an eye.

The rearward end of the display hanger comprises conventional means for detachably, quickly and easily mounting the hanger onto the pegboard 10. Said means includes a U-shaped transversely oriented bar 24 having a central horizontal reach 26 and which runs parallel to and is situated in front of and spaced from the board. The U-shaped bar 24 further includes a pair of arms.28, one arm being located on each end of the central reach 26, which arms pass horizontally through horizontally aligned apertures 12 in the pegboard. The arms 28 termi- 3 mate in upwardly extending short hooks 30 which abut the back face of the pegboard 10. The shaft 20 at its rearward end is in one piece with a depending vertical leg 32 the upper portion of which is welded to the cross bar as at 34. The leg 32 rests against the forward face of the pegboard.

The display hanger is retained on the pegboard by the abutment of the hooks 30 against the rear face of the pegboard and the abutment of the legs 32 against the front face of the pegboard. Both display hangers 16, 18 are welded to the same bar 24. However, it will be appreciated that the same mounting means is suitable to hold a single display hanger.

In order to prevent damage to persons who accidentally fall against the display hangers, I provide a safety guard which will deflect any portions of such persons body from said blunt end. More specifically, I provide a safety guard for each display hanger, the safety guard 36 being associated with the display hanger 16 and the safety guard 38 being associated with the display hanger 18. Since each of the safety guards is of like construction, only the safety guard 38 will be described in detail.

The safety guard 38 includes an elongated straight shaft 40 desirably of constant cross-section matching that of the shaft 20. The shaft 40 projects substantially perpendicularly and horizontally away from the pegboard and somewhat upwardly inclined. The length of the shaft 40 slightly exceeds that of the shaft 20. Said shaft 40 on the rearward end thereof is secured to means for quickly and easily detachably mounting the safety guard onto the pegboard 10, and in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, said mounting means constitutes the mounting means detachably coupling the display hanger 18 to the pegboard 10. More specifically, the shaft at the rearward end thereof has in one piece therewith a downwardly depending leg 42. The leg 42 has an upper portion 42a which is higher in elevation than the leg 32 of the display hanger 18, an intermediate portion 42b which is offset and crosses over the upper portion of the leg 32 and a lower portion 42c which is immediately adjacent to and situated inwardly of the leg 32. The leg 42 of the safety guard 38 is secured to the display hanger 18 as by spot welding 44 between the lower portions of the respective legs 32, 42 of the display hanger and safety guard.

The safety guard 38 has a forward leading end which constitutes a blunt portion 46. The blunt portion 46 is one piece with the shaft 40 and is desirably of the same cross-section. The blunt portion serves to ward off a person falling toward the blunt tip 25 of the display hanger. For this purpose, the blunt portion has a transverse dimension, D in FIG. 4, which is substantially, e.g. at least four times, greater than the transverse dimension of the tip 22. The aforesaid dimension D of the safety guard is illustrated as vertical but is not necessarily so. The blunt portion 46 is slightly forward of the tip 25 so as to prevent accidental contact of a person with the said tip.

More specifically, the blunt portion 46 constitutes a U-shaped retroverted bend 48 having a free tip 50 spaced from the shaft 40. As illustrated this spacing is about onequarter of an inch. The tip 50 of the blunt portion 48 of the safety guard is sufficiently forward of, e.g. about threequarters of an inch, the tip 25 of the display hanger so that articles of merchandise may have the apertures of their packages threaded over the shaft without interference and so that said articles can be removed by a consumer from the display hanger without interference. Still further, the blunt end 48 is located by the shaft 40 so as to be in vertical alignment with the hanger 18 (see FIG. 2).

Due to the circular transverse cross-section of the blunt portion 48 and due to its retroverted shape, said blunt portion presents to the front a wholly curved surface, curving rearwardly both to the sides and to the top and to the bottom thereby eliminating any angular edges or corners which might injure a person should a person fall against the safety guard.

The guarded display hangers just described are formed from any rigid durable material, preferably a metal such as steel or aluminum. If desired, either the safety guard or the display hanger or both may be covered by a plastic sheathing.

It is also within the scope of my invention to provide safety guards of the configuration previously described which are detachably but securely rigidly fastened directly onto preexisting display hangers.

In FIG. 5, I have illustrated a second embodiment of my safety-guarded display hanger. The same includes a display hanger 52 of similar construction as the display hanger 14. A safety guard 54 associated with the hanger 52 is similar in construction to the safety guard 18, except that rather than being secured rigidly and permanently to the display hanger it has its own means for mounting on the pegboard independently of the display hanger. T 0 this end, the rear of the safety guard includes a depending leg 56 to which a U-shaped cross bar 58 is spot welded. The cross bar at both ends thereof is formed into hooks 60 which are the safe as the hooks 30' on the center bar 24 of the display hanger mounting means. The U-shaped bar 58 with its hooks may be mounted on a pegboard in the pair of horizontally aligned apertures immediately above the apertures into which the hooks 30 pass. The form of my invention illustrated in FIG. 5 has particular use where display hangers already in use 1n retail locations are desired to be modified to include my safety feature.

It thus will be seen that I have provided safety-guarded display hangers which achieve the several objects of my invention and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A guarded display hanger, said hanger including means detachably mounting the hanger on a perforated pegboard, an elongated shaft fixed on one end to said mounting means and projecting horizontally away from the pegboard, said shaft having an upwardly inclined blunt-ended tip at its forward portion, the shaft being adapted to have articles hung thereon, and a safety guard, said safetyguard including means detachably mounting the guard on the pegboard in relativeclose proximity to the hanger, an elongated member fixed on one end to said mounting means and projecting horizontally away from the pegboard, said member having a blunt portion at its forward end, said blunt portion having at least a leading segment thereof located above and forward of the blunt end of the shaft of the display hanger and being closely adjacent but spaced above the same so as to permit packaged articles to be hung onto and removed from the shaft of the display hanger Without interference, said blunt portion having a transverse dimension substantially greater than the transverse dimension of the shaft of the display hanger and being configured so as to present to the front a surface which is curved away from the front whereby a person falling against the hanger will be deflected by the safety guard from injurious contact with the tip of the display hanger.

2. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe mounting means of the display hanger is secured to the mounting means of the safety guard.

3. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mounting means of the display hanger is permanently and rigidly secured to the mounting means of the safety guard.

4. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are plural display hanger shafts and a like number of safety guards, each guard being associated with and similarly positioned relative to a different one of the display hanger shafts.

5. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 1 wherein the blunt portion of the safety guard comprises a retroverted bend having its said transverse dimension vertical.

6. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 5 wherein the tip of the shaft of the display hanger is in the same vertical plane as the free end of the shaft of the safety guard.

7. A guarded display hanger as set forth in claim 1 wherein the blunt portion of the safety guard comprises 6 vertical, having its base forward of the tip of the hanger shaft and having its free end spaced a short gap from the said tip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,236,266 8/1917 Chaikin 21159 XR 3,189,185 6/1965 Grasso 21159 3,245,547 4/1966 Felkay 248225 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 714,703 9/1954 Great Britain.

RAY O. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

a retroverted bend having its said transverse dimension 15 WILLIAM L Assistant 

1. A GUARDED DISPLAY HANGER, SAID HANGER INCLUDING MEANS DETACHABLY MOUNTING THE HANGER ON A PERFORATED PEGBOARD, AN ELONGATED SHAFT FIXED ON ONE END TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY AWAY FROM THE PEGBOARD, SAID SHAFT HAVING AN UPWARDLY INCLINED BLUNT-ENDED TIP AT ITS FORWARD PORTION, THE SHAFT BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE ARTICLES HUNG THEREON, AND A SAFETY GUARD, SAID SAFETY GUARD INCLUDING MEANS DETACHABLY MOUNTING THE GUARD ON THE PEGBOARD IN RELATIVE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HANGER, AN ELONGATED MEMBER FIXED ON ONE END TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY AWAY FROM THE PEGBOARD, SAID MEMBER HAVING A BLUNT PORTION AT ITS FORWARD END, SAID BLUNT PORTION HAVING AT LEAST A LEADING SEGMENT THEREOF LOCATED ABOVE AND FORWARD OF THE BLUNT END OF THE SHAFT OF THE DISPLAY HANGER AND BEING CLOSELY ADJACENT BUT SPACED ABOVE THE SAME SO AS TO PERMIT PACKAGED ARTICLES TO BE HUNG ONTO AND REMOVED FROM THE SHAFT OF THE DISPLAY HANGER WITHOUT INTERFERENCE, SAID BLUNT PORTION HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE SHAFT OF THE DISPLAY HANGER AND BEING CONFIGURED SO AS TO PRESENT TO THE FRONT A SURFACE WHICH IS CURVED AWAY FROM THE FRONT WHEREBY A PERSON FALLING AGAINST THE HANGER WILL BE DEFLECTED BY THE SAFETY GUARD FROM INJURIOUS CONTACT WITH THE TIP OF THE DISPLAY HANGER. 